What are we reading?

Started by Martok, March 05, 2012, 01:13:59 PM

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JasonPratt

I'm reading it on Kindle, so I don't know. One moment...

Okay, the kindle page I bought it from/through, says 923 pages. However, 25% of that are (mostly) appendix documents and endnotes and other support things. So somewhere around 690 pages of main text.

TGA is roughly the events of 1941.

If you want to get hardcore, you should start back with A History of the English Speaking Peoples, in four volumes (that's the Kindle link); then The World Crisis, in five volumes; then The Second World War in six volumes. (World Crisis has a variable number of volumes depending on how it's bound; I've seen unabridged sets ranging from two volumes to six.)
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

Gusington

Jeez that sounds extremely hardcore. But I am going to guess that Churchill is an incredible writer, eh?


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

ArizonaTank

#5462
Just finishing "The Pioneers" by David McCullough.

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneers-Heroic-Settlers-Brought-American/dp/1501168681/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1625448553&sr=8-1

The title seems a bit misleading. The book is not about the great westward expansion after the Civil War.

The book is really about the settlement of the Ohio River valley in the late 1700s and early 1800s. And for that, the book opened up a whole series of stories I had not heard before.

The book has some great insights into the historical importance of places like Marietta (named after Marie Antoinette), Ohio, the first large settlement in the Northwest Territory. One of the town's major founders was Rufus Putnam, a Revolutionary War General. in fact, most of the early settlers were Revolutionary War Veterans who had been given land by Congress for their service. 

Or the story of Gallipolis, Ohio, on the Ohio, River. The town was founded by a group of French immigrants (Gallipolis named for the Gauls) who were duped by an American and a British huckster who sold them fake deeds to Ohio land. When the French (about 600 of them) arrived and found out that their land "purchase" was worthless they fell into despair. George Washington took pity on them and worked a deal with the legitimate "Ohio Company" to settle them downriver from Marietta.

There is also the fascinating story of Aaron Burr's "plot" to have the Ohio territory secede from the Union. Seems like after shooting Hamilton, Burr was a busy man...hatching conspiracies including trying to find ways to set himself up as Emperor of Mexico...things like that (he even went to France at one point to sell the idea).

Then there was a push by Thomas Jefferson to have the State Constitutional Convention make Ohio a slave state; in the end, the slave question lost by only one vote.

Anyway, some really great stories about a chapter of history I did not know...I completely enjoyed it.
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

Gusington

About to start Rommel's Desert Soldiers - Afrika Korps by Major K.J. Macksey, M.C. Originally published in 1968 this yellowed, dry and brittle copy is from 1976 and smells like an old man.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

JasonPratt

^ Apt!  :D

(But does it allow a bonus to the Italians if they can cook their pasta? ;) )

Re Churchill's writing talent: I'd say he's about average, or a little above: he can turn a colorful phrase on occasion (as his speeches, which he composed himself, testify), but it doesn't happen often. My impression is that he was more colorful as a casual speaker, based on reports from other people about things he said off the cuff.

His viewpoint, however -- in the sense of his observations (metaphorically and sometimes literally!) from where he stands, and has stood, in the world and in his studies of the history which he and his people have lived -- provide the key interest of his works. I can read a history of the English-speaking peoples from many authors (and have on occasion ;) ), but none of them have his perspective. So, your valuation will be proportionate to how much you appreciate any importance in his position as a key part of living history himself. But if you're looking to enjoy his writing, I'd expect disappointment: he won't be incompetent, but don't get your hopes up.

(To be fair, much of this stems from his WW1 and WW2 memoirs being largely based on official texts he sent out to various people. Naturally the first set, on the history of the Island up to the turn into the 20th century, doesn't have any of that, so it improves the average quality of prose.)
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

JasonPratt

Quote from: ArizonaTank on July 04, 2021, 08:45:10 PM
Just finishing "The Pioneers" by David McCullough.

That does sound surprisingly great!  :bd:
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

ArizonaTank

#5466
Quote from: JasonPratt on July 05, 2021, 10:51:56 PM
^ Apt!  :D

Re Churchill's writing talent: I'd say he's about average, or a little above: he can turn a colorful phrase on occasion (as his speeches, which he composed himself, testify), but it doesn't happen often. My impression is that he was more colorful as a casual speaker, based on reports from other people about things he said off the cuff.


I'm just finishing a book on the Battle of Omdurman where Churchill famously rode with the 21st Lancers in the "last great British cavalry charge."

He wrote a book about the campaign that got him into hot water with senior British Army commanders because it apparently was too critical of them. The book was called, "The River War An Historical Account of the Reconquest of the Soudan."

A year later, when Churchill went to South Africa for the Boer War, he got the cold shoulder from many commanders because of "River War."

Ultimately a good politician, Churchill cleaned "River War" up and republished it two years later, removing all of the "personal opinions"...  It is that cleaned up 2nd Edition that is the one that is easily available "on-line."

However, the 1st Edition, harder to find, is the one I want to read since it would be the juicy one.

Anyway, a next good read for me will be "River War."
Johannes "Honus" Wagner
"The Flying Dutchman"
Shortstop: Pittsburgh Pirates 1900-1917
Rated as the 2nd most valuable player of all time by Bill James.

Gusington

Churchill just above average?!? Crazytalk. In my mind he should be one of the greatest writers ever! I'll have to read something by him eventually.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Gusington

About to start the new and not stinky 'The Armour of Rommel's Afrika Korps - Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives' by Ian Baxter.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Tripoli

#5469
I'm doing some research into the Falkland Islands War.  Right now, I've started "Amphibious Assault Falklands: The Battle of San Carlos Water" by Commodore Michael Clapp, the amphibious commander for the operation.   Its a technical book, but thus far an excellent professional-level study of the command, logistical and doctrinal issues.  Thus far, I would recommend it as a companion read to "One Hundred Days: The Memoirs of the Falklands Battle Group Commander".
"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?" -Abraham Lincoln

Sir Slash

I've often wondered Trip, the Brits sailing from Britain to the Falklands, would that make it the longest Amphibious Op. in History?
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

Tripoli

Quote from: Sir Slash on July 08, 2021, 11:20:38 AM
I've often wondered Trip, the Brits sailing from Britain to the Falklands, would that make it the longest Amphibious Op. in History?

It might very well be.  Operation TORCH was only about 3200 nm, while OPERATION CORPORATE (the Falklands) is 6400 nm great circle from Southhampton to Port Sanley.  This doesn't even take into account the Ascension Island or South Georgia legs of the trip.
"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?" -Abraham Lincoln

Sir Slash

"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

Gusington

About to start 'Vehicles of the Long Range Desert Group 1940 - 45' by Gavin Mortimer, Henry Morshead and Irene Cano Rodriguez (Osprey New Vanguard series).


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Sir Slash

You're really on a, 'North Africa' thing aren't you? Nothing wrong with that at all. Just don't get your, 'Crusaders' mixed-up with your, 'Battle Axes'.  ;)
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.